Improvement in seats for sleeping-cars



Witnesses:

R. DIRKS.

Car Seat and Couch.

Patented Aug. 9, 1859.

Inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH DIRKS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEATS FOR SLEEPING-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,998, dated August 9, 1859.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH DIRKs, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvani-a, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Seats and Couches for Sleeping-Oars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of railway-car seats which admit of being readily converted into couches for sleeping purposes; and my invention consists, first, in a-platform and a frame hinged thereto, in combination with certain permanent partitions for forming the base of the seat as well as adouble couch; secondly, in an arrangement of sliding boards or frames combined with the said permanent partitions for forming the head and foot boards of the couches; thirdly, in the construction, arran gement, and method of supporting two frames which form the back of the seat as well as a double couch and, fourthly, in a peculiar arrangement of hinged boards combined with the above-mentioned permanent partitions for forming an upper couch.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecifiation, Figure 1. is a transverse sectional elevation of part of railroad-car, showing my improved seats as arranged for day use; Fig. 2, the same as Fig. 1 with the seats arranged for night use; Fig. 3, a front View of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a sectional plan on the line 1 2, Fig. 2.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the side of the car, B part of l the floor, and O partof the roof. On each side of the car a series of alcoves are formed by partitions D D, and in each alcove my improved seats and couches are arranged as follows: At a suitable distance from the floor, and between two partitions, D D, is erected a permanentcushioned platform,E,tothefrontofwhich is hinged a frame, F, containing a detachable cushion,f. When the frame F is folded back over the platform E it forms the base of the seat for day use, as seen in Fig. 1. When it has to be converted into a couch for reclining purposes the cushion is removed from its recess, the frame F folded outward, as seenin Fig. 2, and the cushionfplaced in another recess on the upturned surface of the frame. Small strips h are so hinged to the end of this frame that when turned down they may serve as legs for additional support and for removing the strain from the hinges. It will now be seen that the platform E and frame F, with their cushions e andf, will, when folded out as seen in Fig. 2, form a couch large enough to accommodate two persons in a reclining position.

Thepartitions DD are made hollow or otherwise so constructed that each may receive a sliding frame, G, the frame of one partition forming the foot-board and the other the headboard for the projecting portion of the lower couch.

To the side of the car, between the partitions D, and at a suitable distance above the platform E, is hinged a cushioned frame, H, and to the latteris hinged another cushioned frame, I, the hinges being so formed that when the two frames are folded together they may assume the position shown in Fig. 1, where they form the back of the seat for day use, and so that when the two frames have to be converted into couches for reclining purposes they may be folded outward, as seen in Fig. 2. When in this position the outer frame, I, is supported on projections i on the sliding frame G, the projections being so arranged as to be folded upward when the frame is slid into the par tition D.

An additional support is afforded to frames H and I by projections j, one of which is so hinged to each partition D as to be folded down when it is required as a support, and folded up out of the way during the day. It will now be seen that the two frames H and I, which form the back of the seat, of which the frame F is the base, may be folded outward so as to form a double couch for reclining purposes, the projecting portion of the couch having a head and foot board formed by the frame K, which slides in or against the partition D in the same manner as the frame K.

The highest couch is formed by the two boards L and M, which are hinged together, and the former of which is hinged to the side of the car in such a manner that the two boards may be folded together and occupy the position shown in Fig. 1 against the side of the car, or be folded down and rest on ledges on the partitions D, as seen in Fig. 2, where they form the desired sleeping-couch.

On the outer edge of the board I, which forms a part of the intermediate couch, two, three, or more plates, P, arejointed, the upper ends of the plates being connected together by a longitudinal bar, Q. During the night the plates P are elevated, as seen in Fig. 4, and thus form a safety-guard to prevent the sleeping passenger from falling from the couch. \Vhen the latter has to be folded up so as to form the back of the seat the plates P are moved down and with the bar Q take their places, along the edge of the frame I, where they present no obstacle to the adjustment of the two frames in the position shown in Fig. 1.

A device similar to that last described may be applied to the outer edges of the other couches for similar purposes.

As the seats arranged for day use occupy but little room on each side of the car compared with convertible seats of the ordinary construction, the extra space may be used for receiving temporary seats, to be detached and placed out of the way when the car has to be used for sleeping purposes.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The cushioned platform E and the frame F, with its'detachable cushion t and movable legs h, in combination with the permanent partitions D D, the said platform and frame being 1hinged together and otherwise arranged as set orth.

2. The boards G and K, adapted to and sliding in or against the partitions D D, and arranged, as specified, so as to form the foot and head boards for the couches.

3. The frame H, so hinged to the side of the car, and the frame I, so hinged to the frame H, that both frames may assume the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, in combination with the partitions D D and their sliding frames G.

3. Forming the upper couch of the board L, hinged to the side of the car, and one or more boards, M, hinged to the boards L, when ar ranged as set forth, in combination with the permanent partitions D D.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- HENRY HoWsoN, CHARLES D. FREEMAN. 

